Hanging By A Thread
by Mara-DragonMaster
Summary: It's a normal mission. Normal ruins. Nothing out of the ordinary. No enemies. Yet somehow, they always end up finding trouble! Luckily, they also end up finding something of interest.
1. Chapter 1

**Hanging By A Thread**

By Mara-DragonMaster

* * *

How odd. Jack surveyed the landscape through his black sunglasses, and found it interesting how they had left the mountains of Colorado (a.k.a. Stargate Command) and stepped into– the mountains of Colorado. Complete with brilliant red rock, cactus, and gnarly shrub-like trees.

Daniel's voice suddenly came from behind him. "Jack, I see some ruins over there."

Jack turned in the direction of Daniel's pointing finger. "Where?"

"There– those red rocks."

Jack squinted, then nodded wisely. "Ah yes. The _other_ red rocks."

Without looking he knew Daniel was giving him 'the look' from the corner of his eyes. "There's a large pile of rocks, Jack. See? Now look _next_ to it."

"Oh– you mean the red boulder!"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "I'm going to check it out."

"Remember to check in–"

Daniel was already heading off, pulling out his notebook. "Every fifteen minutes." He called over his shoulder.

Jack watched him move away, and shook his head. How someone could get so excited over old rocks– "Sam, you take your soil samples. Teal'c, stay with her. I'll radio in every fifteen."

Sam swung her bag from her shoulder as Teal'c nodded. "Yes, sir."

Sure enough, there were crumbling ruins of some old buildings just to the left of the pile of rocks, blending in so well with their surroundings that Jack wondered how Daniel had seen them at all. He found the archaeologist sitting at the base of a wall, one leg thrust out, his hat pushed back. He was copying some painted drawings into his notebook, mumbling to himself, his eyes scrunched up behind his glasses in concentration. Daniel paid no attention when Jack approached, or when he cleared his throat. Giving a resigned puff of air that inflated his cheeks, Jack gave a final glance around before finding a comfortable seat on a boulder, which happened to rest in the shade of the wall.

How long he sat there, watching Daniel copy the paintings with painstaking accuracy, Jack didn't know. He had lost track after checking in with Carter six times. Adjusting his sunglasses he squinted up at the sun, then back at Daniel as he stood up with a long-suffering sigh. "Daniel, how much longer?"

"Just a little more." Daniel mumbled automatically.

Jack took a step forward. "It's just thaa-Ahh!"

Daniel spun around at Jack's outcry, the roar of crumbling rock pounding in his ears. "_Jack_?" As the dust cleared Daniel's eyes grew wide. Where Jack had stood there nothing. The ground had fallen out, leaving a black gaping hole at least ten feet in diameter. Crawling carefully to the edge Daniel looked down. "Jack?"

There was cough. "Oh, for crying out loud."

Daniel closed his eyes in relief, then looked back down. Jack was standing up on a very narrow ledge, shaking dust off of his head, slapping it from his jacket in red clouds. From the little bit of light that filtered down it looked like he was in some kind of cave, but Daniel couldn't be sure. "Where are you?"

Jack pulled his broken sunglasses from his face and spun in a slow circle, then looked over the ledge. "Looks like an underground chamber." He called up. "There's paintings and word-pictures all over the walls down there."

"Really?" Daniel craned his neck, trying to see better.

"Hey! Don't you fall in too!" Jack exclaimed.

"Do you see a way out?"

Jack spun in a half circle, stopping with his back to Daniel. "Uh, yeah." He said. "But it's a long way down and been rocked in."

Daniel frowned. "Rocked in?"

"Yeah. Sealed. Barricaded. Filled with rocks."

"Why would they do that?" Daniel wondered.

Jack did a quarter turn, and stopped. "Maybe because of the coffins over there." He quipped.

Daniel's eyes widened. "You mean it's a burial chamber?"

"Looks like." Jack looked up, squinting. "Mind getting me out before you start digging?"

Daniel gave him 'the look'. "What about your radio?"

"Smashed. Why? Where's yours?"

"In the burial chamber." Daniel pointed. "I had it and my extra pack behind me a little. They fell in with you."

Jack looked down into the chamber, then muttered something unintelligible.

"What?" Daniel called, putting a hand to his ear.

"Nothing.'" Jack responded irritably.

Daniel sighed. "Okay, uh–" he glanced around. "Hang on. I've got some rope."

"Great." Jack made a circle with his forefinger and thumb.

Daniel nodded, then carefully moved away from the edge and headed to his pack. Pulling out a long coil of rope, Daniel muttered a 'thank you, Sam' to himself. Taking one end he gingerly made his way around the hole to the other side and the boulder Jack had been sitting on, where he looped the rope around the boulder several times and tied it. "Okay, here it comes." he called, tossing the rope down.

There was a slight scuffling sound as Jack tied it around himself, then the rope went taut. "Ready!"

Daniel wrapped his hands around the thick fibrous cord, set his feet, and pulled. It was easier than he had thought; then he realized that Jack was helping by climbing some.

Then the rope snapped.

Daniel suddenly found himself being dragged forward, inexplicably, towards the edge. Grasping at the rope with his hands his feet kicked furiously, trying to find some purchase on the ground. Then they did, and Daniel came to a crunching stop, but the rope kept going. He tightened his hold, yelling when the rough, thick cords burned a line across his shoulders and through his hands, tearing the skin. Then it, too, stopped. Daniel didn't move, breathing hard, sweat beading on his face, every muscle taut and shaking.

"Jack?" he called tightly.

"Daniel?" Jack's voice echoed its way up to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Came the reply. "Sure. You betcha! You?"

"Oh–" Daniel glanced around, heels digging into the ground. He locked his knees. "You know." He tightened his hold, grimacing. Then he set his feet, ready to move. "I'm going to get you up, okay?"

"Don't hurt anything in the process!"

"I won't hurt myself, Jack!" Daniel said, mentally crossing his fingers.

There was a pause. "I was talking about me."

Daniel rolled his eyes heavenward, a slight dry chuckle escaping him. Carefully he pulled his feet up, drawing his knees closer and closer to his torso. Then he dug his heels into the dirt and rock and pushed. At first he didn't move. Then slowly, his hands burning, Daniel slid backwards, scraping over loose dirt and rock. Teeth bared, Daniel drew his knees up again, and again braced his feet and pushed himself back. Dust clung to his damp skin, the sun beating down harsh and bright. Very quickly his SGC uniform became uncomfortably damp and scratchy with sweat. The burn of his shoulders and hands became like a physical white noise, flaring every once in a while as the rough fibers of the rope rubbed.

"Hey! Hey!"

Daniel paused mid-push, legs trembling. "What?"

"Can we hurry it up? The rope's leaving a blister 'round my middle."

Licking sweat from his upper lip, Daniel gritted his teeth, eyes rolling up in a quick prayer. Taking a deep breath he tightened his grip on the rope, and once again dug his heels into the dirt. After what seemed to be an eternity of pushing himself back, the rope, slick in his hands with sweat and some blood, suddenly slipped. There was a startled shout below the edge, and Daniel desperately grabbed, clenching his teeth with a bit back grunt when the rope burned through his hands and then caught. For a moment there was nothing; no movement, no sound, except for the harsh panting of two men.

"Jack? You okay?"

There was a grunt. "Yeah. Little banged up, nothing serious."

Daniel nodded. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. Just be nice if we didn't have a repeat performance." There was a pause. "You okay?"

Daniel hesitated. "Yeah," he finally answered. "Why?"

"Well, your voice sounds a little strained. You sure you're okay?"

Daniel ground his teeth, dug his heels in, and pushed back.

"Daniel?"

"Yes, Jack!" Daniel gasped in exasperation, a little harsher than he intended. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Just– let me get you up, okay, Jack?"

"Sure." There was a wry, disbelieving tone to Jack's voice, and Daniel knew that Jack would be thoroughly checking him over when this was over.

Blinking furiously as sweat suddenly trickled into his eye, Daniel ignored the sting and focused on pushing himself backwards. He wished he could take off his jacket; the heat was almost overpowering. The minutes strung together, slipping by in a dust and sunlit haze. Suddenly the rope became slack in his hands. Blindly panicking for a moment, thinking that the rope had snapped and Jack had fallen, he grabbed at it. Then he heard the grunts and muttering ahead of him. Blinking to clear his vision Daniel squinted, and saw Jack in the last stage of hauling himself over the edge and onto solid ground.

"Jack?" Daniel pushed himself to his knees and started to crawl, stopping with a grimace when his hands made contact with the rough ground. He lifted his left hand, looking at its torn and bleeding palm in disgust.

"Holy Hannah!" Jack crawled over to him and took his hand. "What…?" he looked up, eyeing the rope with the frayed end, and the separate piece of rope still tied around the boulder. "Dang it, Danny." He muttered. "Come on."

"Jack, I'm fine." Daniel protested as Jack grabbed him under the arm and hauled him up, guiding him back to the painted wall. At Jack's pointed finger he sat down obediently, and watched as Jack pulled open his pack and rummaged through it, trying to find the first aid kit amongst his books and notes.

"Aha!" Jack exclaimed triumphantly, pulling out the kit. He quickly opened it and pulled out the disinfectant wipes, tearing them open. Daniel looked away when Jack took one of his hands, biting his lip when the cold wipe slid across his palm. "Next time," Jack advised. "Wear gloves."

"I'll remember that." Daniel hissed.

A few minutes later, with his hands freshly wrapped, Daniel followed Jack away from the ruins with the promise that they would return to excavate the site properly.

On the way back they ran into Sam and Teal'c, who were making their way up toward the ruins. "Colonel!" Sam called.

"Howdy." Jack greeted them jovially. "What are you doing?"

"Coming to find you." Sam stopped in front of them, her brows pinched together. "You missed your last check-in ten minutes ago, sir."

"Yeah, well, we were– preoccupied."

Teal'c tipped his head, eyeing Daniel. "Daniel Jackson, are you injured?"

"What?" Realizing Teal'c had seen his hands, Daniel hurried to reassure as Sam's eyes snapped to him. "Oh, no. Well–" he glanced at his white-mittened hands. "Not seriously. Got a little rope burn."

Jack smiled as their companions looked at them curiously. "Long story." He quipped. He started to walk, and they all fell in step together. "We'll tell it on the way."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hanging By A Thread**

**Ch. 2**

by Mara-DragonMaster

* * *

General Hammond greeted them as they descended the platform, the great sea of blue disappearing behind them. "Welcome back, SG1." He said. "How was your mission?"

Jack looked cockeyed at him. "Oh, you know," he said, stopping to stand casually in front of the general. "Lots of rocks. A cave-in. Near-death experiences. The usual. And more rocks. _Painted_ rocks."

"Artifacts." Daniel announced behind him.

Jack glanced back. "I said that."

Sam rolled her eyes. "The mission was a success, sir. But Daniel should go to the infirmary. He rope-burned his hands."

General Hammond looked at the different faces of the team, eyes slightly narrowed as he assessed their appearances and their words. Satisfied that none of them were seriously injured (particularly Dr. Jackson), and by their casual return, that nothing had happened that was galactically threatening, he nodded. "Very well. We'll debrief in two hours." He said.

"Alright. Daniel, let's go." Jack turned and set his hand to Daniel's shoulder, pushing him ahead.

"I _am_ capable of going to the infirmary by myself, you know." Daniel said.

"Yes, Daniel. You are capable of many things." Jack said sagely. "Which is why we are accompanying you."

"I don't understand."

Sam tipped her head. "Well–"

"You have a tendency to be distracted by a great many things, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c replied matter-of-factly. "Which prevents you from arriving at the infirmary as you originally intended."

General Hammond shook his head, chuckling to himself as the four teammates left the Gate Room.

Two hours later SG1 sat at the conference table, waiting for General Hammond. Daniel's hands were freshly bandaged, and he was carefully trying to hook his fingers into the handle of his coffee mug. Jack watched as he managed to succeed, then gingerly raised the mug, wincing, until he was able to take a sip.

"Would you like a straw?" Jack finally asked.

Daniel shook his head. "No, thank you." he said, lowering the cup with another wince. "I got it."

Jack nodded, looking up as the general opened his office door and came in. After Sam had reported on the samples she took and the possibility of the planet being a rich source of naquada, Daniel gave his report, finishing it with the request to return with an archaeology team. Jack watched in amusement as Daniel waited with baited breath, his eyes wide with anticipation, as General Hammond thought for a moment.

"How long until your hands are healed, according to Dr. Frasier?" he asked.

Daniel took a deep breath, getting ready to negotiate. "A week before I can do anything strenuous. But–"

"Then you have a go to return to the planet in ten days." General Hammond said.

Daniel paused mid protest, and blinked. "Really?"

General Hammond nodded. "You may use your time until then gathering your team and going over what information you already have." He turned to Sam. "You may spend the time putting together a team of your own to investigate the possible resources of the planet more thoroughly."

Sam nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Alright." General Hammond sat back. "Dismissed."

* * *

It was late. Jack wandered down the hall, hands in his pockets, not really paying attention to where he was going. He had finished typing up his mission report and turned it in, and then found to his dismay that he had stayed later than intended and had missed the hockey game he had planned on watching. So he had gone to the cafeteria to comfort himself with a snack, preferably of the desert kind, only to find that it was closed down for the night. Suitably disappointed he had started walking, his feet moving of their own free will. Suddenly he realized they had stopped walking, waiting patiently in front of a door, having carried him to Daniel's office. The door was open, revealing a desk illuminated by a single lamp, its surface buried under mountains of books, reports, photos, sketches, notebooks, and handwritten notes. The owner of the office was hunched over several sketches and notes, a book lying open in front of him. Occasionally he glanced from the notes to the book and back again, muttering to himself and scribbling. Jack sauntered in with his hands in his pockets, using his Black Ops training to move silently. He moved up until he was directly behind Daniel, then leaned over his friend's shoulder.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked in Daniel's ear.

The archaeologist started with an exclamation of surprise, sending several papers flying across the desk. Daniel whipped around in his seat, his eyes huge behind his glasses. "Jack!"

"Daniel!" Jack said jovially. He tipped his chin at Daniel's notes. "Whatcha working on?" he asked.

Glancing at Jack with an upward roll of his eyes, Daniel gave a slight shake of his head, gearing into professor mode. "My notes on the ruins. It seems to be an odd mixture of Persian and Native American origin– specifically the Cliff Dwellers. I think that the building was a temple of sorts, a place of ceremony; which would make sense, since you found an underground burial chamber there–"

"Daniel, breath."

Daniel paused, inhaled, and continued. "What doesn't make sense is the fact that while they appear to have recorded their history on the walls, there is no explanation as to what happened to them, whether they've left or were taken over or died out. The pictures and records just end. Also, at the end– where their history just stops– there's an odd spot in the wall. It appears that they built this building out of the rock wall behind it and with stones, bricks, and mortar. In this spot it looks like one of the stones was pulled loose and put back in backwards, and there are inscriptions circling it. I haven't gotten around to translating them yet."

Jack waited a beat while Daniel caught his breath. "Is that all?" he asked.

"No, actually, their history is full of step-by-step instructions on how they farmed and planted according to the seasons–"

"Ah!" Jack held up a hand to ward off the next flow of words.

"But Jack, there's more."

"No there isn't!"

"Yes, there is."

"No there isn't!" Jack held up a warning finger, then fought back a grin, the corner of his mouth twitching, when a sparkle of amusement flickered in Daniel's eyes. The archaeologist covered it with a heavy sigh of exasperation. "How's your hands?"

"Itchy. They hurt. If I'm careful I can still hold a pen, although I've been typing my report by poking at the keys one at a time."

"Wanna take a break?"

Glancing at his watch, Daniel looked torn. "Cafeteria open?"

Jack rocked back on his heels. "No. Which is actually why I'm here." He leaned over between Daniel and the desk, reaching for the top right drawer.

"Jack? What are you doing?" Daniel asked, trapped between the colonel and his chair as Jack pulled the drawer open and started pawing through it.

"Aha!" Jack straightened, holding his fist high in triumph. "I knew I could count on you, Danny-boy!"

"Jack! Those are mine!"

"Daniel, you have two twelve packs of chocolate bars, a box of chocolate donuts, and an entire bag of chocolate walnut cookies in that drawer. I think you can spare a donut. And a cup of coffee."

Daniel sank back in his chair and shook his head. "Does it ever occur to you to ask?" he said as Jack headed for the coffee pot.

Jack paused mid-stride. He regarded Daniel for a moment, head tilted. "Daniel, may I please raid your office of treats?" he finally asked.

"Yes, you may."

"Thank you." Jack resumed his stride to the coffee pot. He located a stray mug, filled it to the brim, then took a heady sniff before drinking deeply. "Ahh." he exhaled contentedly. "Nothing better than coffee and donuts."

Daniel sighed.

* * *

The week went by much faster than Jack had expected. Probably because both of his scientists were flying around gathering their respective teams and equipment. At the end of the week they were practically floating, counting down the final seventy-two hours until the next trip to the planet.

Sitting in one of the chairs in the infirmary, on the morning of the trip, Jack watched Dr. Frasier removed the bandages from Daniel's hands, congratulating him on his excellent care of them. Jack thought that was unusual. The trip must have been really important to Daniel, Jack mused, to be so careful with his hands. Otherwise he would have thrown caution to the wind in classic Daniel Jackson style, which would have resulted in a lecture from Frasier and him doing 'nothing strenuous' for an additional week, possibly two. So, as it was, Jack was thoroughly impressed with Daniel's good behavior.

The archaeologist was fairly bouncing in his seat by the time Janet was done re-wrapping his hands in less cumbersome bandages.

"Wear gloves." She ordered sternly, though there was an affectionate undertone. "You don't want to get your hands dirty. I know you," she said in response to his look. "You'd get so much dirt caked on these bandages that it would work its way underneath and get in your burns."

Daniel sighed. "Okay. I'll wear gloves."

"Good." Frasier smiled. "Now get out of here."

In a shot Daniel was gone. Jack pushed himself out of his seat and nonchalantly began to make his way towards the door. "Don't worry," he said to Frasier. "I'll make sure he wears them."

Dr. Frasier smiled. "Thank you, Colonel."

The gateroom was thrumming with activity and sound, an obstacle course of scientific equipment and suited-up scientists and archaeologist. They shifted from one foot to the other, fumbling with their helmets, full of nervous excitement. Jack made his way through to his team's side. Teal'c was regarding Sam and Daniel with an odd, raised-eyebrow expression. Jack couldn't tell if he was amused or confused by their excited agitation.

"So," he said, glancing at the bright-eyed faces of his teammates. "You guys ready?"

Sam and Daniel both nodded enthusiastically. Teal'c merely tipped his head.

"Alright." Jack pulled his baseball cap onto his head. "Let's go."

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

_Guide to pronouncing the names:_

_Daryas: Dar-ee-yas_

_Shaii__: Shy-ee_

_Huachtenoch:__ Hwa-te-nok_

_Shahnam Saqi__: Sha-nam Sa-kee_

_Reias__: Ray-as_

_Aihura:__ Eye-hear-a_

_Finaias__: Fin-ay-as_

* * *

**Hanging By A Thread**

**Ch. 3**

By Mara-DragonMaster

* * *

If Jack had known what a three-week long mission with a team of archaeologists and a team of scientists would be like, he might have opted to stay back at the SGC. As it was he and Teal'c got a lot of one-on-one time, which consisted of silence, interrupted every thirty minutes by a rhetorical question with a three-word answer. Sam and her team spread out, checking in every few hours by radio. Daniel and his team congregated around the ruins of the temple. They taped off the large hole in the ground, pulled out their ropes and harnesses and tools, and began to study not only the ruins, but the burial chamber as well. Daniel had to leave most of the work to his team because of his hands– he couldn't hold a tool; but he didn't entirely mind, as it meant he could spend his time translating the writing on the temple wall. 

After their third day there, while they sat around their respective campfires and ate supper, Jack glanced around at the groups of people talking and laughing and had to smile. Taking his dinner with him, Jack sought out Daniel's fire– where he sat with Teal'c– and sat down across from him.

"So," he said. "Figured out who's down there?" he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the hole.

Daniel nodded, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Royalty." He said, putting down his plate. "This is where they buried the royal families. I think this is only one of many chambers, though. There's only about a dozen coffins down there, and if what's written on that temple wall is any indication, there should be more."

"Kings and queens?"

"And a couple princes and princesses, I think."

Jack nodded.

Teal'c, who had been listening quietly, now turned. "Do their writings on the wall indicate how they came here?"

Daniel's eyes squinted, as they usually did when he was thinking hard. "If I interpreted correctly, their ancestors were taken from their homes by an evil being– it doesn't say who, just that his eyes glowed– and that some of them banded together and managed to escape to this place, which they made their home."

Teal'c nodded, then turned and gazed thoughtfully into the fire.

"Figured out what that backwards stone in the wall is?" Jack asked, taking another bite of food.

"No."

For the next week the team studied the people in the coffins. Daniel went back and forth, sometimes helping in the burial chamber, other times staying up top translating the wall. On their tenth day on the planet, while Jack took a cozy nap in a patch of sun, there was suddenly a barrage of shouts amongst Daniel's team. Sitting up Jack pushed his baseball cap up from his face and got to his feet, his senses on high alert. What he saw were several very excited archaeologists around the hole, pulling an even more excited archaeologist from the hole, who then proceeded to run to Daniel– who was examining the rock that had been put in backwards. Jack couldn't tell what was said, but he had never seen Daniel jump up and run so fast. Strapping on a rope and harness Daniel disappeared into the hole, followed by the archaeologist. The rest of the team leaned over, bumping into each other as they tried to see what was going on.

Teal'c appeared at Jack's side. "What has happened?" he asked.

"Don't know." Jack said, head tipped to one side. "Let's check it out."

The archaeology team glanced up as they approached, and made room for them. On his hands and knees Jack peered into the hole and the chamber beneath, which was lit by several lanterns. "Daniel?"

"Jack!" Daniel's voice echoed up, sounding muffled. "You are not going to believe this!"

"What is it?"

Daniel suddenly appeared, seeming to come out of the wall directly under them. His upturned face was smudged with red dirt, his eyes wide with excitement. "There's another chamber! Another burial chamber with just one coffin in it, but it's different than this room; the walls are covered from floor to ceiling in writing and pictures, and the coffin– I think there's two people in it! Not one!"

Jack glanced at the light falling out of the wall Daniel had just come out of. Someone must have turned on a lantern in the small chamber. "Cool." He said, not entirely understanding the significance but appreciating that it obviously meant a lot to Daniel.

The next day Daniel and his team spent their time in the small chamber. Jack and Teal'c stayed up top, sharing stories about bringing up young boys. Jack was pleased to find that while Teal'c seemed reserved and unaffected by most things, being a parent was not one of them. Apparently Jaffa children could be just as wonderful– and just as nerve-wracking– as kids on Earth.

That night Daniel came to them, unusually quiet, and crouched by their fire.

"Hey Daniel." Jack greeted him. "What's up?"

Daniel looked up at them, his face solemn. The firelight flickered in his eyes. "I want to show you guys something."

Daniel took them down into the burial chamber. There was no light, save for the orange glow of several lanterns that spilled out of a small doorway. Jack and Teal'c followed Daniel in, and then stared in amazement. The walls were covered in a strange, flowing script, interrupted ever foot or so by pictures painted in bright colors, illustrating whatever story the writing told. In the center of the room was a large coffin, seven feet long and four feet wide. It was made of dark wood with carved lettering and inlaid gold, and it was open, with the inside lined with white stone. The lid lay on the floor beside it, and was also white stone. It too had carved lettering, only this lettering was inlaid with gold, and it also had painted pictures on it, all of the same two people– a man and a woman. In the center was a large picture, of a man in red robes, and his eyes were made of amber. Beside him was a beautiful woman, also dressed in red with amber eyes. It looked like a portrait.

Daniel stood at the end of the coffin, his gloved hands resting on the sides. "It's amazing, isn't it?" he said. Then he tipped his chin at the inside of the coffin.

Jack and Teal'c moved closer, until they were standing beside it. Inside were two mummies, but they were the most amazing mummies Jack had ever seen. They were hardly dried out or shrunken at all, almost perfectly preserved. A man and a woman, in their late forties, dressed in scarlet robes and wearing a lot of gold and jewels. They lay on their sides, facing each other, their hands clasped together.

"Daryas and Shaii." Daniel said quietly, his eyes moving across them. "Their names were carved on the coffin lid. This whole room is about them. All this writing on the walls, all the pictures– is about them. And this, how they are laid together in the same coffin in such an intimate position, holding hands– it's so unusual. You never, ever see this."

Jack took off his cap, and stared at the couple. He didn't have to be an archaeologist to be amazed by the sight before him. "Wow."

"Who are they?" Teal'c asked, his voice low and full of respect.

"All I know is they were a king and queen," Daniel answered. "And that they obviously loved each other very much."

Over the next four days Daniel spent all of his time in the small chamber, taking photos and video recordings, copying the writing and pictures in his journals, and translating as much as he could. At the end of the week Sam returned with her team, laden with samples of every kind.

"You're done already?" Jack asked with surprise.

"No, sir." Sam said. "We've taken all the samples we can, but there's still some tests to run. How're things here?"

Her eyes grew large as Jack related all that Daniel had found. As soon as Daniel found out she was back he took her down to the chamber, with Jack and Teal'c tagging along, and showed her everything. As she gazed at the couple in the coffin her expression grew soft, and she stayed there for a long time, just gazing at them.

That night Daniel, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c all congregated around the same fire. Sam recounted what she and her team had found, the different minerals and plants that could be helpful to Earth, the confirmation she had found about the planet being a source of naquada. Then the conversation turned to the couple in the burial chamber.

"So, why weren't they buried with the rest?" Sam asked.

"I don't know yet." Daniel said, pulling out his journal, "But I have translated at least the beginning of their story. Daryas, it seems, was the son of the–" he checked his notes. "'First king of the Fourth Reign of Aihura.' Aihura– that's the name of this place. He became king– I think when he was twenty. Now, Shaii was a young woman– the daughter of one of the historians, so she knew how to read and was educated. They were childhood playmates, but as they grew up they drifted apart for a little while. When they saw each other again he had become a man, and king, and she had become a beautiful young woman. In fact, the text describes her as 'the most beautiful of all women, like a jewel among stones.' They wrote letters to each other, and would meet and take walks together. Long and short of it, they fell in love."

"That's beautiful." Sam said, sitting cross-legged, with her arms on her knees.

Daniel raised his finger. "Ah, but there was a problem. There was a certain advisor– Huachtenoch– who wanted his own daughter to marry Daryas, and so become queen. So he started following them everywhere, trying to find something to use against them. And he started speaking of the importance in finding a wife of stature, someone who knew the ways of the nobility and who would fit right in with life at the royal house. People began to get stirred up, one way or another. A year went by, and Daryas still refused to choose a wife, so Huachtenoch started to follow Shaii and make threats, hoping to scare her away."

Teal'c head tipped slightly, a frown on his face. Jack stabbed at the fire with a stick.

"That's horrible!" Sam said.

"Listen to this," Daniel said, opening his journal and flipping through the pages. When he found the one he wanted, he started to read out loud. " '_Tho Huachtenoch continued in his threats, Shaii's fear did not overcome her, and they remained faithful to one another. So Huachtenoch went to her himself, and as she walked along a remote path to her home he found her, and hit her, and tore her cloak, and place his hands upon her neck, intending to kill her. Then Daryas appeared on his horse, with ten riders coming behind, for he had been hunting. And he was filled with rage, and struck Huachtenoch so that he fell. And Huachtenoch was bound and taken into the city. Daryas carried Shaii to his own house, and had his healers and servant women tend to her until she was well. But Huachtenoch's evil nature had been revealed to all, and for his treason he was hanged_.' "

"Good." Jack declared. "Serves him right."

"It was a fitting punishment." Teal'c agreed.

Sam leaned over, looking at Daniel's notes. "Anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah, uh–" Daniel squinted, scanning and flipping pages. "With Huachtenoch out of the way Daryas asked Shaii to marry him– aha! Here it is. This is their wedding day: '_And the veil was taken from the face of Shaii, and her outer robe removed, so that her beauty was revealed to all. And she was dressed in crimson cloth woven with gold, and gold and jewels were upon her hands and feet and hung from her neck, and her hair was also set with gold and precious jewels, and her eyes were painted black, and her mouth with red paint. All who saw her were amazed. Daryas, the second king of the Fourth Reign, was so moved that he wept, and clasped her hands in his. And he proclaimed, before all, "You overwhelm me like wine, Shaii. Even your name is like perfume poured out, like honey on my tongue. For these years I feared losing you, as a man who has found a priceless treasure. You are the crowing jewel, and if all else were taken from me, still I would be a man most blessed." And so saying he kissed her. Then they went up the hill to the temple, and were wed_.' It goes on to describe their reign together, how under their wisdom and guidance the people flourished, and how their love became legendary. They had– three children. Ashad, their eldest son, Shahnam Saqi, their daughter, and Reias, the youngest son." With a nod he closed his journal and set it in his lap, then looked up.

Jack waited a beat. "That's it?" he finally said.

"No, I haven't translated the rest."

"Well get with it!"

Daniel eyed him with amusement. "I thought you didn't like this kind of stuff, Jack."

Jack raised a finger. "Rocks. I don't like rocks. A good love story is something else."

"I did not realize you were sentimental, O'Neil." Teal'c said.

Sam and Daniel hid twin smiles as Jack turned a glare onto the Jaffa.

"How're your hands holding up?" Sam asked Daniel as Jack went into a long explanation as to why he was not sentimental.

"Okay." Daniel held one hand up, flexing the fingers. "I think they'll be entirely healed by the time we go back to the SGC."

The next five days went by in a blur as each team tried to finish, gathering as much information as possible before they had to leave. The night before their departure Sam, Teal'c, and Jack sat around the fire talking quietly. The air was cool with a soft breeze, the fire throwing sparks into the air like mini fireflies. The sun sank below the horizon, and the sky deepened to a blue so dark it was almost black as the stars came out one by one, sparkling, looking like someone had taken a handful of diamonds and thrown them into the sky.

"Hey," Sam said during a lull in the conversation. "Where's Daniel?"

The teammates looked around, scanning the other fires and groups of people. "Aw, heck." Jack said. "He's probably still in that chamber."

Sam thought for a moment. "Let's take him some food." She suggested.

Carefully lowering themselves down the hole, they crept to the doorway of the smaller burial chamber. The lid to the coffin had been replaced, to protect Daryas and Shaii from the elements. Daniel was standing in front of the final wall, arms crossed, staring at the flowing script. His journals and pen lay forgotten on the floor by his feet. Jack paused next to him.

"Daniel?"

Blue eyes glanced at him, then back at the wall. "Hi guys."

"Sam brought you some supper." Jack noted the almost sad expression on his friend's face, and followed his gaze to a painting of what appeared to be a funeral procession.

"I know what happened." Daniel whispered. "I know why they left."

"They left?" Sam came up behind him, arms wrapped around the thermos of hot soup she'd brought, hugging to herself. Teal'c stood beside her, waiting.

"Yeah." Daniel pointed at a section of writing to his left. "There was a drought, or a famine, as they called it. They waited it out the first year, hoping that rain would come. But it didn't." He cleared his throat, and began to read.

"'_In the seventh month of the second year of famine, I, Ashad, first son and heir, record the death of our Father and Mother, Daryas, second king of the Fourth Reign, and Shaii, second queen of the Fourth Reign. Four days ago they were lost in a storm of lightning, thunder, and violent winds, but no rain. When the skies cleared and the sun shown, and still they had not returned from their evening ride, I, Ashad, and Reias, my brother and second son to our Father and Mother, went forth with three dozen of the best men into the mountains. When the sun had reached its peak the following day we found them, lying together with clasped hands, upon a ledge below the cliff of Denyun. Of their horses we found no trace. We lowered a rope and I and Reias went down, and found them dead. We bore their bodies back to Aihura, and there was great crying and gnashing of teeth. Our sister, Shahnam Saqi, wailed and rent her clothes, and covered her head with ashes. We wept together, yet we take comfort in the knowledge that they were together when they passed. _

_It is now forty days and nights since the death of our Father and Mother, Daryas, second king of the Fourth Reign, and Shaii, second queen of the Fourth Reign. Our healers have prepared them for burial, preserving the bodies and dressing them in their wedding garments, setting them with gold and jewels. A single coffin has been made by our finest masons and carpenters, crafted from the hardest wood and stone, for they are to be laid together, as is fitting. A separate chamber has been created for them, set aside as a resting place for them, for they are to be honored more than any for their goodness and wisdom, and for their love. Finaias, our greatest artist, has recorded their history on the walls of their burial chamber and upon the lid of their coffin, and now records this, my final dictation. _

_It is now three days after the burial of our Father and Mother, Daryas, second king of the Fourth Reign, and Shaii, second queen of the Fourth Reign. For three days all of Aihura went into mourning, and on the third day we laid them in the tomb. May they rest in peace._

_It is now ten days since the burial of Daryas, second king of the Fourth Reign, and Shaii, second queen of the Fourth Reign. I, Ashad, first son, third king of the Fourth Reign, write this before the rising of the sun. My heart is heavy as I now record the passing of my people. It is the eighth month of the second year of famine. My people grow weak with hunger and faint with thirst. I have consulted with Reias, my brother, and Shahnam Saqi, my sister, and their counsel is wise. We must leave Aihura through the Stone Gate, and seek other lands where we might live. We have consulted the ancient records and have found a land where we might settle and prosper. It is empty of people, its land rich and fertile. We leave today, before the sun reaches its peak. On the Wall of Records Finaias has recorded the symbols of this land, and hidden it in plain sight, so that if any are left behind they might join us, and if any friends seek us, and they may read our writing and language, they might find us, but if an enemy seeks us, we may be hidden from them._

_Peace be to all. _

_Ashad, Third King of the Fourth Reign_.'"

There was silence. The implication of what Daniel had just read was enormous.

"Daniel," Jack said. "Are you saying you can figure out where they went?"

Daniel didn't look at him. "I already have."

Sam's eyes grew large. She shifted her weight; one could see her mind racing. "You found the Gate address?"

Without a word, Daniel bent down and picked up a stone lying next to the wall. It was the stone that had been put in backwards, in the wall of the ruins. On the side that had been hidden were seven symbols, clearly painted in black.

* * *

_To Be Continued… In Another Story_

* * *


End file.
